Fairy Beats
by WavesOfGrain94
Summary: Lucy was attending Magnolia University for three reasons: 1. To fulfill her dream of being a journalist, 2. to prove to her father she didn't need his money to be happy, and 3. to join Fairy Tail, the a cappella group she'd idolized since she was young. Join Lucy and the gang on a musical journey of friendship, pain, and love as they aim for the national championships!
1. Chapter 1

**FAIRY BEATS  
** _A Fairy Tail Fanfic by AnyDreamWillDo19_

Greetings, friends! Thanks for clicking on my story! So, since the character limits on the descriptions stink, I'm going to explain a little bit more about what this fanfic contains. You got the basic idea that this is an AU story that follows Lucy as she begins her studies at Magnolia University with the intention of joining the a cappella group known as Fairy Tail. However, when she arrives, she discovers the group hasn't been doing very well the past few years, and a lot of things have changed. But with Lucy, along with other notable characters such as Natsu, Gray, and Erza, joining the ranks, the a cappella club has high hopes for reaching their goal of winning the national championship of collegiate a cappella. They become friends and maybe even fall in love along the way. Pairings in this story will include NaLu, of course, along with Gruvia, Jerza, ElfEver, Miraxus, and GaLe. I put rated T because I gave some pretty intense background stories to some of these characters that include abuse, illness, and suicide (not of major characters), but even then, I'm going to try and keep it light. Beware to those of you who don't read the manga though, you might stumble across some spoilers here. Or you can just pretend I made those spoilers up. ;) You can look at this is a _Pitch Perfect_ crossover if you squint. I decided to write an AU a cappella story for two reason: A. I LOVE a cappella, and B. I got kind of tired of reading so many Fairy-Tail-High-School-Rock-Band stories (no offense to those of you who write those, I see the appeal) and wanted to try and spice things up a bit. Hope you enjoy, and thanks again for giving this a shot!

* * *

 **Chapter One: Welcome to Magnolia University!**

"Hello!" said the cheery girl sitting behind the table, looking up at the new freshman with a warm smile. "Welcome to Magnolia University and the Fairy Hills dorms! My name is Mirajane. Can I get your name, please?"

Lucy swallowed her nerves and returned the smile. "Uh, Lucy. Lucy Heartfilia."

As Mirajane flipped through the box of envelopes in front of her, Lucy looked around the lobby of the Fairy Hills office building. It was a nice room, with cream plaster walls and brown wood trim. A simple chandelier hung from the ceiling, and the room was modestly decorated with a couch and some armchairs, and some beautiful scenery paintings on the walls. The main office could be scene behind a large open window in the wall behind the table at which Mira and another yellow-polo-clad upperclassman sat sorting out the new freshman coming to the university. Lucy took a deep breath; she couldn't believe that after so many years of dreaming, after all of her hard work and sacrifice, she was finally at the school of her dreams: Magnolia University!

"Ah, here you are!" Mirajane said suddenly, plucking an envelope from the box and handing it to Lucy. "You are in building 10. In the envelope you'll find all your keys for your room and mailbox, a map of the dorms and the campus, and a brochure with the schedule for this week's orientation activities!" Mirajane smiled again sweetly, her bangs, which were held up in a short ponytail on top of her head, swaying slightly as she tilted her head. "Don't forget that you'll be meeting your orientation group in Mavis Square at 1:30 to start the weekend. You're in group number 7. Do you have any questions?"

Lucy shook her head and smiled brightly at the older girl. "Ah, actually, when do we learn about what sort of clubs and things are at the university?"

Mira grabbed a sample pamphlet and opened it up for Lucy to see the schedule for the semester's opening weekend. "An activities fair will be held tomorrow in the square, right after the campus tours. There will be different stations for all of the clubs and activities that will be held during the semester, so you can see what you want to get involved in."

Lucy beamed. "Alright. Thanks, Mirajane!"

"Call me Mira," Mirajane replied, shaking Lucy's hand. "See you around, Lucy!"

Lucy quickly grabbed her two bags – a large suitcase and a smaller pink travel case – and pulled them out of the way of the other freshman before digging out her apartment keys and the maps, sticking the rest of the envelope in her purse. Shoving the keys and maps in the pocket of her jean shorts, Lucy pulled her luggage across the hall and back out into the warm August air, taking a deep breath as she looked around her. Behind her were the buildings that made up her new housing complex, but straight across the street was the entrance to Magnolia University, a private four-year college Lucy had worked her whole life to one day enter. As she reflected on those years of hard work and sacrifice, she couldn't help but feel satisfied and excited that she had finally accomplished her dream. Or at least the first step of it. Lucy's ultimate goal was to become a professional journalist and make a living off her writing. But she knew that this was where it would all start, where her entire adult life would begin, and although the thought made her both excited and nervous, she wouldn't have wanted it to start in any other place.

Smiling serenely, Lucy turned her gaze up to the sky, releasing one of her bags to touch the golden key necklace resting on her chest. "I made it, Mom," she murmured. "I hope I made you proud. Please, help me be strong."

With another sigh, Lucy dropped her hand and took the map of the dorms out of her pocket. On it, she located building number ten and groaned; of course it was the furthest building from campus. That was what she got for signing up for housing so last minute. Knowing it would be a long walk with her heavy bags, Lucy dug her iPod out of her purse and stuck the earbuds in, putting it on shuffle before shoving the music device in her back pocket and starting the walk. As a catchy beat thumped in her ears, she grinned and contemplated yet a third dream she had connected to this university. She'd had this dream since her dearest friend Virgo, who had then been a maid working for her filthy-rich father, had taken her to Crocus to see a national collegiate a cappella competition seven years ago. That was where she had first heard them: MU's very own a cappella group, Fairy Tail. She'd fallen completely in love with a cappella during that competition, but seeing Fairy Tail's performance was what had sealed the deal, both in determining to learn how to sing a cappella and choosing where she would go to college. Not that her father had been too pleased about that…

The sudden revving of an engine snapped Lucy out of her spiritual moment and she looked back at the street just in time to see a rather old-looking red sports car heading her way pull up next to her. In the front seats, Lucy could see a man with red hair behind the wheel, a platinum-blonde woman at his side. They seemed to be arguing about something, probably directions, and neither of them noticed her on the sidewalk. The back window facing Lucy was down, and there was a head of spiky pink hair hanging out of it. Inside the back seat, Lucy could see a small girl with long blue pigtails rubbing the back of whomever the pink hair belonged to, a sympathetic look on her innocent face. The pink hair suddenly moved, the head rising, and Lucy found that it belonged to a boy who she could only assume was a fellow student. His eyes were half closed, and the tan skin of his face was sweaty and tinted slightly green. The poor guy looked sick to his stomach. Was he really that nervous about school? But as the car came to a stop, he took a gulp of air, seemingly relieved.

" _Finally!"_ she heard him cry through her headphones. "We stopped moving!"

Suddenly, the eyes opened and landed right on Lucy. They were a piercing, wolf gray color, and the blonde gasped as they seemed to capture her. The pink-haired boy blinked in surprise, tilting his head to the side and raising an eyebrow curiously. Suddenly, the car lurched forward, and the boy made a choking noise as he was thrown back into the car, which sped down the road to the empty parking lot by the office building. It seemed as though Lucy would be sharing an apartment complex with the strange boy.

Lucy stared after the car, momentarily shell-shocked, before shaking her head and continuing her walk into the next stage of her life.

* * *

 **A/N:** So there's the first chapter, folks! There is more to the story of what went down between Lucy and her father, but I didn't want to put to much of it here, because I want the readers to piece it together as the other characters are discovering it, though it probably won't be too hard to figure out anyway. I kind of struggled with getting this story started, so please let me know what you thought and if there are any improvements I can make by leaving me a review! I'll try to have the next chapter up soon, along with an update for my other story, Once Upon a Time, but being in collage myself, I can't make any promises. I hope you'll forgive me for that. Have a wonderful day! Thanks for reading!


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N:** ... yeah. I haven't updated anything in a while. Things have been kind of stressful lately, even with being on Christmas Break now, so I apologize. I have a lot of great ideas for this story that I'm really excited about, but it's been a hard time getting there. But after a 6-hour writing spree last night, I think I'm finally getting it moving. I hope you guys enjoy this chapter!

* * *

 **Chapter Two: Making Friends**

It took a little over five minutes for Lucy to reach her apartment building. The front doors were currently held open to allow easy access to the new students. Looking down at her map, Lucy was reminded by Mira's scrawling in the upper corner that her apartment with on the second floor, room 204. As Lucy opened the front door and entered the foyer, she wondered suddenly if any of her three roommates would have moved in yet. Her stomach clenched at the thought. She was excited, but also extremely nervous at the prospect of living with three other girls. Having always been the only person her age in her father's mansion, she had no idea what living with other girls in such close quarters would be like. She hoped desperately that they would like her and want to be her friends, though even that was all but a foreign concept to her. In her private high school, Lucy had kept to herself mostly, feeling uncomfortable around the other stuffy, spoiled girls in her class. She had found friends in the mansion's staff, of course, but that was quite different to interacting with peers at her own age at her level of life experience. Having located the elevator and pressed the button to summon it, Lucy touched her hand to her mother's key again, sucking in a deep breath. She tried to remember the advice and counsel Virgo had given her before she had left that morning: _Just be yourself, Princess. Don't let your insecurities hold you back. You will be much happier in the end, no matter how that end turns out, if you jump in with both feet._

A smile broke out on the blonde girl's face as she entered the elevator and allowed it to carry her to her floor. _Alright, Virgo. I'll do my best._

When the elevator door slid open again, Lucy stepped out and, after some searching through the hall, located apartment 204. She was just about to open the door with her key when the door flew open of its own volition. She froze in surprise as a girl she only recognized from her Facebook page beamed up at her from the other side of the doorway. "Hi!" the girl exclaimed. "You're Lucy, right?"

"Yes! And you're my roommate, right?" It was quite easy to recognize the girl's short, periwinkle-blue hair. She was wearing an orange summer dress with a red ribbon around the middle, and a matching headband held her hair out of her face. She was quite small, only reaching Lucy's chin in height. Her smile seemed to light up the entire hall as she nodded at Lucy, her large hazel eyes shining brightly.

"That's right! I'm Levy McGarden. It's wonderful to finally meet you! I saw you enter the building from our window and thought it was you! Here, let me help you with your bag."

To Lucy's immense surprise, Levy grabbed her largest suitcase and heaved it through the door before Lucy could take another step. She was surprisingly strong for someone so small. Out of her four roommates, all of whom Lucy had never met in person, the blonde knew Levy the best, due to their frequent Facebook and text conversations between now and the time they had found out they would be roommates. Seeing as they both shared a passion for literature and learning, the pair so far had gotten along quite swimmingly, and Lucy was looking forward to seeing how living together would increase their friendship. She was glad she had been the one to open the door.

As Lucy entered the apartment, she looked around to try and get her bearings. Directly in front of her was an open door, into which Lucy could see her other two roommate's bedroom. She could see some boxes and clothes scattered around and thought she heard someone shuffling around out of sight, but she didn't say anything, still feeling a little shy. To her right, an open doorway led to the living room, and Lucy took a quick peek around the corner to see the kitchenette on the other side of the room. Turning and walking down the hall, she passed the closed bathroom door on her left and entered the next door on her right, which had been left open for her. Levy had set Lucy's suitcase at the foot of her bed, which was the one closest to the window on the other side of the room. The wall above the head of the bed housed two bookshelves, and in between her bed and Levy's were two desks. In the wall to Lucy's left were two open closets, above which were shelves and in between which were four large cubby holes. Lucy entered the room and set her travel case and purse on the bed, and as she looked over at Levy, she caught sight of her décor.

"Wow, Levy! Did you pack an entire library to bring with you?"

Levy, who had been kneeling on her bed, turned and smiled sheepishly. Levy only had one shelf above her bed, but since she had free wall space where Lucy had a window, a second longer shelf extended the entire length of her bed, and both shelves were covered with stacks of books that halfway reached the ceiling. Still more books lined the edge of Levy's desk, space only left for a lamp at the corner near Levy's bed. At the moment, Levy seemed to be in the process of putting up some pictures in the wall space beneath the shelves around her bed. A bulletin board was hung up above her desk and was already covered with several different papers and notes Levy had written for herself.

"I couldn't bear to leave any of these behind," Levy said, lovingly brushing the bindings of the books by her head. "I know I won't have too much free time to read, but these are all my most precious books. They're like pieces of my soul. I hope it's not too overwhelming to look at…"

"No, I love it!" Lucy exclaimed, crossing the room to sit on Levy's bed with her and examine the bindings. "I'm a bit of a book worm myself. What books do you have?"

Levy beamed at Lucy, and the two girls spent the next half an hour pouring over her books, squealing in delight whenever they came across one that they both loved, Levy occasionally gushing over the ones that Lucy had not yet read. Levy's collection covered a wide range of genres, including biographies, encyclopedias, grammar books and dictionaries for different languages, classic novels, and YA novels. Looking through Levy's miniature library made Lucy think back to her father's mansion, where she had left behind many of her own precious books, along with the massive study library Jude had spent years building for his wife when she was alive. Whenever Lucy had been home, if she wasn't in her bedroom, she was to be found in that library, either studying or reading one of the volumes Layla Heartfilia had left behind.

"What did you say you were studying again?" Lucy asked as they reached the end of Levy's collection, sitting back down on the periwinkle girl's bed.

Levy made an apologetic face. "I'm undeclared right now. I just can't decide what I want to go into! I've thought about studying to be a professor, but I don't know what subject I want to specialize in! I've also thought about being an editor, a historian, an ambassador, a philanthropist... I used to consider being a politician, but I'm not sure I could handle all the scorn directed at politicians these days… I just have too many interests and things I wanna do!"

Lucy patted her roommate's shoulder consolingly. "Don't worry, Levy! You've still got some time to explore and figure it out

Levy smiled appreciatively. "What about you, Lucy? What are you studying?"

"I'm in journalism right now, with an English minor. I want to be a journalist."

"Ooh! Didn't you say on Facebook once that you wanted to be an author someday, too?"

Lucy laughed nervously, shrinking her head back into her shoulders. "Yeah, I would like to be… I just didn't want to bank on that in case it didn't work out, you know? I've got an idea for a novel started, but I'm still working on hashing it out."

Levy's eyes practically sparkled as she leaned in toward her new friend. "I would love to read what you've got so far! I could give you some feedback and maybe help with editing and stuff! If you would like it, that is."

Lucy beamed at Levy. It was refreshing to be around people who would encourage her in pursuing her dreams. "I would love that, Levy! And when it's finally finished, you'll be the first to read it, I promise!"

As that deal was sealed with a pinkie-swear, the two girls could feel a life-long bond forming between them. Upon checking the time and realizing that they only had a couple of hours before they had to be on campus for the start of their college orientation, which would take place during the entire weekend before classes started on Monday, Lucy crossed back over to her side of the room and started unpacking. She started with her large suitcase, setting it on the ground and pulling out her sheets and blankets to start making her bed. Beneath that was her towels and toiletries, so she grabbed them and crossed the hall to put them in the bathroom. She discovered that the bathroom consisted of two sinks, a toilet, a standing shower, and a bathtub with a showerhead. It seemed as though her other roommates had already provided shower curtains and bath mats for both showers, for which Lucy was grateful. When Lucy had put her things away into the cupboards and hung up one of her towel, she turned to leave the bathroom and caught sight of her reflection in the mirror. Her shoulder-length blonde hair was pulled half up in a ponytail with her bangs framing her face, and she was dressed in a green tank top with a thin white sleeveless cardigan and a pair of worn denim shorts. The light from the fixture above the sink reflected on her mother's key, and as Lucy looked into her own brown eyes, she saw a similar light of excitement and anticipation in them.

 _Look at me,_ her thoughts sang. _I'm a college student!_ She wondered if her mom would be proud to see her now. She liked to think she would be.

A loud shriek from the hallway caught Lucy out of her musings. Her heart leaped in panic, startled by the noise, and she stumbled back out of the bathroom, meeting an equally frightened Levy out in the hall as the smaller girl was running out of their room.

"Was that you, Lucy?" she asked.

"No, not me!"

"Then who-?"

Another cry, along with the multiple bangs and crashes, sounded from the end of the hall, seeming to come from their roommates' open doorway. The pair raced to the room to find two girls apparently wrestling each other on the floor.

"Gerroffme!" one, a girl with long brown hair, cried as the other, who had shockingly scarlet hair, easily pinned her into the floor. Turning her head so her face was out of the carpet, the brunette said more clearly, "That wasn't a fair fight!"

"You should've known I wouldn't go easy on you, Cana," the red-head said simply. Lucy was nervous by how easily she seemed to be able to hold the girl down. Just how strong was she?

Lucy instinctively let out a frightened sqeak as the redhead's gaze landed on her, though all she said was, "You must be Levy's roommate, Lucy. I'm Erza Scarlet. Pleasure to meet you."

"Erza, what happened?" Levy asked, bravely rushing forward to help Cana up as Erza loosened her hold. Erza stood and folded her arms, glaring coldly at Cana.

"Cana was hiding alcohol in her desk," she said simply, pointing to a couple of boxes sitting on top of one of the desks. "She knows alcoholic beverages are banned from the apartments. I told her to dispose of them, and she told me to 'make her,' so I obliged."

Cana was laughing suddenly as she straightened up, dusting off her ripped denim capris. Lucy finally got a good look at her and noticed she was around her height, with her hair up in a now-messy ponytail and dark brown eyes. With the capris, she wore a loose, cropped shirt that hung off one shoulder and had _Messy hair, don't care_ printed over the front of it. "I wasn't expecting you to actually fight me for it," she said with a mischievous smirk. "I'd hoped that summer vacation would've softened you up a bit."

Erza cast her a steely glare. She couldn't have looked more opposite of her roommate than the way she did with her long, button-up white blouse and her royal blue skinny jeans. Her red hair was down, its full length going to her lower back, and her eyes were also chocolate brown. "I'm sorry if I caused you any pain, Cana, but you know I have zero tolerance for breaking rules. How you act in the apartment reflects on all of us, you realize, and the managers of Fairy Hills trust us to follow the guidelines listed in our contracts-"

"Did you two know each other before?" Lucy broke in. Erza cast her a look at being interrupted, and Lucy felt a sudden thrill of fear for her life.

"All three of us did," Levy explained, gesturing to herself and the other two girls. "We went to the local high school here, Magnolia High. A majority of the students who graduate from there come here, it seems."

"Good old Mag High," Cana chuckled wistfully, tilting her head back. "Such great memories."

"It's a wonder you have any memories of that place," Erza said with a weary sigh. "I'm not sure you were sober even half the four years we spent there."

Levy leaned in toward Lucy and whispered behind her hand, "Our high school was known as a bit of a party school, and Cana was usually the life of it all. Don't be too surprised if she's drunk half the time we're all here."

Cana, still smirking, threw her arm around Lucy and put her face right up in front of hers. "So you're our roommate from the outside, huh? And you're a cute blonde, even! I'm Cana Alberona. Maybe you'll be my party buddy this semester!"

Lucy laughed nervously and slid out from beneath her arm, not completely sure how to react. She'd never really been much of a party girl, though she supposed going to parties would be part of the college experience. Still, all she could think to say was, "Haha, maybe…"

Erza stepped between them before Cana could pressure her more and said, "Sorry if we're being a bit overwhelming for you," she told Lucy with a smile. "We will all do our best to adjust to each other's personalities while we are living here together. In the meantime, shall we head over to the school? Orientation will begin soon, and we need to give Cana some time to throw away that alcohol before we meet in our groups."

"What?!" Cana cried, half angry, half despairing. "You were serious about that? But it was so expensive!"

Erza put a deathly glare on Cana, freezing her in her complaints. "You should have considered that before making the purchase. Alcohol is not allowed in the apartment, so you _will_ get rid of it!"

As Cana continued pouting and arguing with Erza, Lucy looked over at Levy, who shrugged her shoulders and gave her a sheepish smile. Lucy smiled back. She knew this combo would for sure make an interesting semester, and though a large part of her was worried about how it would turn it, part of her was also excited for the very same reason.

* * *

"So what did you guys think of President Dreyar?"

It was evening, and Lucy, along with her roommates, had just sat down in a local Chinese restaurant for some dinner. Earlier, after meeting with their orientation groups for a quick lunch and a breakdown of the weekend's activity schedule, all the incoming freshman had been gathered together in the Precht Center for a welcome speech given by the president of the school, Makarov Dreyar. Lucy had been shocked to see how short the university president was; he'd had to use a stool to reach the microphone on the podium from which he'd spoken. Despite this, Lucy had liked the old man; he had a sort of grandfatherly aura to him, and though she could tell he was a tough guy not to be tested, she sensed he had a big, soft heart behind his gruff voice. His presentation of the history and purpose of Magnolia University had left Lucy even more excited and energized to be attending the school of her dreams. After that, they had all been dismissed to go visit the deans of the colleges for their different majors, who talked to them all about the different majors in their college and the careers that could come out of them. Then the time was open for students to finish getting their text books, ID cards, and anything else they needed for their dorms. Lucy had been so thrilled to finally have an official Magnolia University ID card, she'd bought a lanyard and plastic sleeve at the bookstore to put it around her neck with her apartment keys.

"I thought it was great!" Levy exclaimed, her hazel eyes shining excitedly. "He made me so happy to be part of this school!"

"We're all fairly familiar with President Dreyar," Erza explained, ever the calm one. "He used to come to Mag High for assemblies and things."

Cana laughed next to Lucy, throwing her arm over the back of the bench they were sitting on. "He used to yell at us and call us brats. I'll bet he still does that, too. He's been the president of MU longer than any of us have been alive, I reckon."

"He's like a father or grandfather to most of our generation in Magnolia," Levy beamed. "A couple guys in our school even call him Gramps!"

Lucy smiled warmly. "I can see that. I liked him. I think he's a wonderful president."

Erza, who was seated across from Cana, rested her forearms on the table and leaned in toward Lucy. "I don't think you ever told us where you're from, Lucy, since you're not from here. What school did you go to?"

Lucy felt her muscles suddenly tense, sweat beginning to bead her brow. She'd been expecting the get-to-know-you questions to come soon, but she still wasn't sure how many of them she would want to answer. "Oh! I'm, uh… it was called Jiemma Academy. I lived in the country, not too far away from the capitol city, Crocus." Which was true. Her father's estate was located just outside one of the more wealthy suburbs on the edge of the Crocus area. "It took a couple hours by train to get here."

"An Academy?" Cana repeated. "Wow, sounds like your family is pretty well off."

"Well, um... my father works very hard."

"You live by Crocus, you say?" Erza commented with surprise. "Why didn't you go to one of the universities there? Crocus College and the University of Fiore are very good schools, probably better than the ones here."

 _Oh, they sure are,_ Lucy thought wryly. _My father knew that all too well and never failed to mention it._ "I applied to them, but… I didn't get in." Okay, that last bit wasn't true. But saying otherwise would lead into the very story Lucy wanted desperately to avoid. "Besides, coming here has been my dream since I was in middle school!"

"Really?" said Cana, dropping the dessert card she had just been playing with. "Why is-?"

"Good evening, welcome to The Fire Dragon, the king of Chinese cuisine. I will be your server toni-"

The bored male voice caused the four girls to look up and see a waiter had just arrived at their table, but he cut off upon realizing who he was addressing. Lucy was stunned to see a very familiar head of pink hair and grey eyes staring at her, wide with surprise. She recognized him immediately, and he seemed to recognize her, too.

It was the same boy from the red sports car she had seen in front of the Fairy Hills office building.

* * *

 **A/N:** Yeeeaaah. So that's that. Sorry if it's a bit slow. Trying to introduce characters and establish roles and what not. I'm now starting to appreciate how hard it is to write an AU fanfic with the characters, well, in character, but I'm hoping I stayed true enough. The next few chapters should be more exciting. Please review and let me know what you thought!


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